August 02, 2010

:: feeling the love ::

:: pretty pendant piece ::

Yesterday, mid-mass grocery shop (which yes, I despise doing on the good Lord's day) I remembered that the day wasn't just about spending our life savings on bundles of food stock for our ravenous household...it was my bestie Chadley's birthday!!!

So, after standing in line behind a harried momma like myself (some days I really am, I am beginning to truly realize and accept this (: and looking longingly at the sparse carts of a handful of gray-haired shoppers behind me (to make it clear: I would rather have to self bag and load a truckload of food supplies any day than deal with gray hair right now!) I began the love-chain of texting to our group of fabulous five friends: first to Summer Rose, then Mirby, and Step Sizzle. And then, of course, to Chadley.

I spent the afternoon finalizing some pending jewelry orders with customers over iced peach tea, boxed up things to go out as shipments, answered a few lingering and nagging emails, and then donned an apron and whipped up a mean broccoli salad for Joshy - because when the few times come these days when we gals can gather like cackling hens, I know it is going to be a late night...and the way I figure it, if broccoli salad hosts the majority of the major food groups, then paired with homemade chocolate chip cookies, it's a meal.

And oh how I am so blessed to have a simple-meal loving man (:

As I packed up a little birthday goodie bag (now, if that doesn't make you feel mid-30s "cool" I don't know what does....where did those days go where I primped for 18 hrs and wore my favorite heels and carried a clutch?!) but you know, honestly...it's so much better now for my style of life. I smile to myself now thinking about how we have celebrated birthdays within our group of besties in the past: included but not limited to dance clubs (bleckh!), little dingy drinking establishments with rocking juke boxes (yeah!), parties hosted at one of our houses, where we could crank Prince and dance while our group of men looked on in amazement at their mommie-housewifey-doer's-of-all-comforting-deeds-pb and j-making women turn into wild, lyric squalling laughing hyenas.

And while I think each of us, deep down, wish longingly for birthday surprises and martini bars and loud music (all these things sans kids, but knowing they are in the loving hands of gma and pops, all rounded out with loving hubbies on our arms encouraging us to dance like it's 1999), sometimes just having your good friends close around you to listen and blab and mix you another mommie cocktail is where it's at.

And when you are in your mid-30s...gosh I can't believe I have to type that!...keeping your mascara in place and your heels on the dance floor til 3 a.m. is just not a reality.

and I can't believe I have to type that either (:

But Sunday impromptu birthday gatherings, with sweet bouquets of fresh cut flowers and pretty new jewels for presents of love, with good good friends who let you projectile all the garbage stress you learn to keep in for the sake of your household, and shoulders to cry on should you need to just say things you can't to your significant other...and all that, while in comfy yoga pants and a mix of pj apparel on a front porch in a summer eve?

It's what having good friends in a good, rich life is all about.

And it's what my group of gals is becoming very, very good at (:

And someday again, I'm fairly certain, we'll find ourselves giggly messes on a random dance floor - even if it's makeshift and in one our living rooms - singing every word of every song on every CD, celebrating one in our family pack turning another year into their lives - and knowing that if we always have each other to invent birthday fun (even if it's on the front porch in eyeglasses, no makeup, sweats and flip flops) it doesn't matter how many years we have under our belt, or that we have the weight of our worlds to bear, organize, schedule, feed, bathe, clothe, plan for, pick up after, and psychologize about.

Because, you see, we have each other.

And that makes me well up with tears right this minute and feel warm and fuzzy all at one time.

Sometimes I find myself so deep and focused on what I have to do from hour to hour (and this season of business and life, minute to minute!) that I tend not to look up and out. I have so much (and have so many) who rely on me to provide in a myriad of ways. If you are a woman of any age, you can relate. It likens to what one of my customers (in her 50s, with nearly grown kiddos) told me early this summer when I was flat stressed to keep all balls in the air: Life is like laundry. It's never all done, it's never perfectly folded and put away.

:: my never-ending laundry to do pile ::

amen!

So, this day I share with you a few things that I have actually done (: and offer a hope that you too can be satisfied and without worry or anxious thoughts at any section of your life. After all, who needs lots of clean clothes in the summertime?

:: daisy dangles, sold this weekend ::

:: silver fan earrings $15 ::

:: Eau Naturale Necklace, $38 ::

:: retro clear earrings $15 ::

:: vintage daisy drops $15 ::

:: silver baubles earrings (my new favs, they are super lightweight and are an easy throw-on because they go with anything (: $15 ::

"Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition with definite requests, with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God." ~ Philippians 4:6